A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen

In her first cookbook, a loved previous cook at Savannah's most prestigious café unveils her locally renowned Savannah plans—large numbers of them never recorded—and those of her loved ones

Countless individuals have made an outing to feast on the excellent food prepared by Dora Charles at Savannah's most popular café. Presently, the one who was blasted by editors and specialists to reveal to her story welcomes us into her home to taste the food she adores best. These are the seriously fulfilling dishes at the core of Dora's adored Savannah: Shrimp and Rice; Simple Smoky Okra; Buttermilk Cornbread from her grandma; and obviously, a genuinely unique Fried Chicken. Each dish has a "mystery fixing" for an eruption of flavor: mayonnaise in the bread rolls; Savannah Seasoning in her Gone to Glory Potato Salad; sugar-coated bacon in her deviled eggs. All the foundations of the Southern table are here, from Out-of-This-World Smothered Catfish to treats like a stunning Very Red Velvet Cake. With moving respect, Dora portrays her motherless childhood in Savannah, the hard existence of her family, whose recollections extended back to slave times, figuring out how to cook at age six, and the years she worked at the eatery. "Discussing" boxes bestow Dora's cooking insight, and reminiscent photographs of Savannah and the Low Country set everything up.

About the Author
From a huge Savannah family of accomplished cooks, DORA CHARLES, worked in Savannah's most famous restaurant for 22 years, where she taught dozens of staffers and managers. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

UPDATE: I read other reviews before I buy & one with regard to this author made me mad enough to chew bricks. If you care, you can decide. I thought about taking the high road, but this has bothered me since I read it. It was short and said simply "This sow can really cook". I asked my husband (from NYC) if he understood the implications of that phrase and he did not, although he's lived in the South for decades. A sow (pronounced like cow) is a female pig, especially one that has recently had piglets. White trash often use the word "sow" to denegrate women, particularly women of color and it is a humiliating slam. The imagery is to put women on the same level as farm animals. I think it is easy to figure out who the swine in this scenario is. It is not the lady whose picture smiles sweetly from the cover of her cookbook every time I use it. I'm a 55 year old white woman and am beyond sick of this type of garbage being spewed unanswered. Although it is just a speck of saying "No, it is not OK", it is something. Thanks for reading. --Lisa R.

This is the cookbook that I have been looking for all of my life! I am world travelled and simply love food - a true foodie. I have hundreds of cookbooks. But during the holidays I find myself in mourning. I've lost so many in my family - my mother, my grandmothers, aunts, and uncles. I am realizing that my generation has made a grievous error in letting the old ones go to their graves without learning the traditions. In today's society we praise the new and criticize the past. But past is not just prologue, it is history, it is tradition. On my mother's side (the side that hosted the holiday dinners) the people are from the South. The family settled in Cleveland, OH, by way of Florida, by way of Alabama (which they left because the Klan was after one of my great Uncles). As a child, during the holidays, I travelled to the Midwest to eat food that was decidedly Southern. It was delicious. But that isn't the whole story. Nowadays when people speak of Southern food or Soul food, they do so with a grimace, labeling it as unhealthy, the cause of diabetes, etc. Ironically, most of MY old ones, born and raised on this food, lived into their 90's. But in many ways this unhealthy designation is just another form of cultural denigration, while at the same time, every chef on the Food Network is incorporating those foods and methods into their own, so called gourmet cooking. Therefore, because society dismissed the old southern cooking as "not good enough", many who were raised with this kind of cooking chose not to preserve the memory of it, and, tragically, the memories of those who prepared it. This is a grievous mistake and I thank Dora for helping me just a little on my course correction. --KRL

This cookbook not only has terrific recipes, it also has gorgeous pictures. I not only buy cookbooks for the recipes, I love the pictures and the stories the cooks write. I totally enjoy reading this cookbook. I have made two recipes thus far, the Cheesy Meatloaf and the Gone to Glory Potato Salad. The recipes are not super complicated like recipes in some cookbooks. Both recipes I made so far have been out of sight. The potato salad went in about an hour and that is just between my husband, son and myself. It was so good I wanted to make another batch the next day. The Cheesy Meatloaf went just as fast-no leftovers here! Who would have thought you could make a meatloaf without the traditional meatloaf pan?? Well you can and its easy and fun. My family had rave reviews and they are tough critics of my cooking. I am going to try the Shrimp and Grits tonight. I buy a lot of cookbooks, however, this is by far my favorite one so far. I love the pictures so much I am thinking of buying another one and cutting some of the photos out and framing them. Lots of helpful tips for cooks like me who basically not very experienced in the kitchen. Do yourself a favor and buy this cookbook. It is worth every penny. I know its a good cookbook because I can't wait to try more recipes. I am becoming a really good cook! --Marie Capone

A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen